7. PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT All three Partnering institutions, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), Tuskegee University (TU), and the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center (UABCCC), have established Administrative Cores. As part of the currently active U54, at each of the three institutions, an efficient administrative infrastructure is in place. The primary objectives of this core are for coordination, communication, budgetary oversight, and clerical functions associated with the overall research program proposed in this grant application. The Partnership has four Cores (Administrative, Outreach, Planning & Evaluation, and Research Education), Research Projects (two Full Projects and a Pilot Project), and two Shared Resources (Bioethics and Biostatistics/Bioinformatics). The Partnership Administrative Core, which is responsible for administrative management of Partnership-wide activities, is comprised of the institution-specific Executive Committees (ECs), the Partnership Leadership Committee (PLC), the Internal Advisory Committee (IAC), and the Program Steering Committee (PSC). The ECs, consisting of all institution-specific Principal Investigators (PIs) (Lead, Co-PIs, and Co-Leaders of all cores and shared resources) meet once a month and are responsible for the day-to-day oversight at each institution. The PLC, consisting of the leaders and co-leaders of all three institutions, as in the past, will have a monthly tele-conference and will be responsible for internal planning, execution, and assessment of the Partnership activities. The IAC, consisting of six leaders (two from each Partnering institution), reviews, twice a year, the Partnership's progress and decisions and provides guidance to the overall Partnership. The PSC, consisting of seven external members, whose expertise covers all areas of the proposed research programs, and an NCI-official as an ex-officio member, functions as the external review body, which annually evaluates all components of the Partnership's progress and provides guidance. Further, a Scientific Review Committee, consisting of all PIs and a science editor, solicits pilot projects that will be funded in years 4 and 5 of the funding cycle, and assigns to external reviewers to assess their scientific merit and for funding after obtaining approvals from PSC. The expertise of the PIs of all three institutions is complementary to each other, and most of these leaders have been successfully working together for more than 10 years. The Program Managers, together with Administrative/Finance Officers of the respective institutions, aid the Partnership by providing day-to-day administrative support, coordination, preparation of the annual progress reports, and logistical services needed to accomplish the Partnership functions. Additionally, the Presidents and PIs of all three institutions will continue to conduct yearly joint video conferences to discuss progress of the Partnership and to reaffirm their continued commitment to strengthen, integrate, and expand Partnership activities.